At first thought, this cruise was supposed to be a relaxing vacation doing not much at all and enjoying some good food and seeing different parts of the world. How wrong I was when I got on board and saw how much there was to offer.

This boat went to the extreme with EVERYTHING and made you feel like you were a VIP. First day was spent going through a very thorough booking in process. All passengers were dropped off at the front door with signs posted to drop luggage off to the right of the doors before going inside to register your arrival with the check-in desk. The check-in lady we got was an older person who we thought very nice but in her absentmindedness forgot to give us an embarkation card with its number on but this problem was quickly rectified by another P&O staff member who ushered us through the doors to customs once notified of the problem. This same staff member also asked for a description of the person who checked us in due to us not knowing her name. Once onboard the boat it was time to find our cabin number. Being that there were 3 of us in tow, we were given a bunkbed configuration with three of the beds in operation, not the ideal situation I had in mind due to not sharing a bed with my husband thanks to the bunk bed ladder. I guess it meant I didn't need to fight for the quilt but was disappointed with the layout. The squeeziness of the alcove leading to the bathroom was of no help either when it came to getting my clothes out of the drawers which were inconveniently located next to the bathroom door making it a hazard if the door were to open suddenly, not very safe. The other unpleasantness was smelling the fish being cooked during the day and evening as the room was located on the same floor as the galley. These trivial matters were overlooked however once sailing was underway. The copious amounts of alcohol consumed on board in front of children was an alarming sight, it almost made it seem normal to do and was considered acceptable behavior to display, however inebriated a person was. This behavior was certainly displayed in a shocking matter the day of sailing where a family of 3 were kicked off of the boat in Noumea because the husband, who was intoxicated, tried to strangle his wife inside the cabin shared with their child. The child was so distressed about the situation they alerted staff to assist with the incident and were told the behavior was unacceptable and were subsequently told to fly home to Australia from Noumea at their own cost. One other passenger ended up in the brig for his drunkenness and was banned from alcohol for 48 hours. The food was exquisite and it didn't matter where you ate. The food in the buffet and the dining room gave you choice. The buffet in the morning at Cafe Del Sol had everything ranging from coffee, juice, cereal, fruit, yoghurt and toast to baked beans, grilled tomatoes, sausages, pancakes, eggs done three different ways and bacon. Lunch was no different for the buffet where choice came in salads, fruit, cold sandwiches and rolls, cheeses and crackers, hot choices too, all with a different theme for the day which continued into dinner. One day was Italian, the next Mexican, the next Asian style food from all parts, the next French etc leaving you with mouthwatering choices and many different dishes to try. It was the best way of experiencing world class cuisine in the one place.

The only downside to eating in the buffet was the vibrations from the engines towards the back of the boat. It made it difficult for those suffering from sea-sickness to sit there and eat their food comfortably. The tendency was to try and get tables either side of the buffet area and more towards the middle of the boat to avoid feeling too much vibration. Read more